MINUTES
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
June 28, 2005
Present at the meeting that was held at the Stow Town Building were Chairman Edward R. Perry Jr. and Selectmen John Clayton, Stephen Dungan, Carole Makary, and Janet Wheeler.
Also present was Administrative Assistant Susan Flint Hosier. Town Administrator William Wrigley was on vacation.
Chairman Perry called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Stow Housing Partnership Appointments
Following interviews with four of the five applicants to the newly created Stow Housing Partnership, the Board appointed the five members. The remaining two vacancies of the seven-member committee will be reposted.
The four applicants interviewed were Greg Jones, Eric Bachtell, Suzanne Morin, and Margie Lynch.
Greg Jones, former selectman and member of the Stow Housing Task Force, current associate member of the Master Plan and School Building committees, and board member of the Stow Community Housing Corp., was the first applicant to speak. He explained the function of a Housing Partnership and its relationship to the Stow Housing Authority and to a Housing Trust Fund. He said that without taking the initiative and reaching three-quarters of 1 percent per year and the 10-percent cap required by the state, Stow is vulnerable to 40Bs (comprehensive permits).
Eric Bachtell said, while he has no background in affordable housing, he has built two houses and has an interest in affordable housing. His background is in electrical engineering and high-tech startups.
Margie Lynch, who grew up in Stow, has now returned here. She has experience living in a deed-restricted unit in a Wyoming community and has interest in affordable housing from the perspectives of preserving Stow’s character, implementing Smart Growth principles, and green building practices.
Suzanne Morin has lived in Stow for eight years and works for the Council on Aging, where she sees the effect of housing costs on seniors. And from a personal perspective, she hopes that living in Stow will be affordable as she grows older.
Bob Billups, the fifth applicant, was unavailable for the meeting but, since he is well known from his various Town positions, the Board agreed no interview was needed.
Mr. Clayton moved to appoint the five applicants to the Stow Housing Partnership, for the following terms; Mr. Dungan seconded:
For three-year terms – Mr. Billups, Mr. Jones, and Ms. Morin
For a two-year term – Mr. Bachtell
For a one-year term – Ms. Lynch
During discussion on the motion, the question was raised as to whether Mr. Jones should be an Associate member instead, in case he had a future conflict of interest from his position as a director of the Stow Community Housing Corp. It was then noted that Mr. Jones had disclosed this possibility in his application, agreeing to recuse himself as necessary, so this should not preclude his appointment as a voting member.
The Board approved the appointments, with Mr. Clayton, Mr. Dungan, and Mr. Perry voting in favor and Ms. Makary and Ms. Wheeler opposed.
School Building Committee Appointment
The Selectmen held a joint session with the Stow representatives of the Nashoba Regional School Committee to appoint a member to fill the vacancy created by Selectman Dungan’s resignation from the School Building Committee.
The joint committee consisted of the five selectmen and the three Stow NRSD members: Brian Burke, Ellen Sturgis, and Chris Way. The voting process was for each of the eight members to have one vote.
The joint committee interviewed three applicants for the position: Associate SBC member Sara Kilkenny, resident Gary Bernklow, and Associate SBC member Brian Burke.
Ms. Kilkenny said she had spent the past year as an Associate reading, studying, and listening – to learn about the project. She brings skills and experience as a parent, a Stow Parent Teachers Organization representative, and an attorney. She is presently acting as the procurement officer for the Request for Proposals on the building project. She said the committee has narrowed down the numerous options using the process of elimination.
Ms. Bernklow said he has lived in Stow most of his life and attended all the schools here. He sees the need to fix Center and Pompo. He is also concerned with the state’s School Building Assistance reimbursement. He brings skills and experience as a resident, candidate for School Committee, and financial manager for a $40.0M cardiac department at Beth Israel. Mr. Bernklow said his philosophy is for new land and a new school with one campus, as it is less expensive to run one than two.
Mr. Dungan pointed out that regarding committee membership, people usually start as Associates. Mr. Bernklow said he agreed and would accept an Associate position, if the group advised it.
Mr. Burke, stating that the two boards had three good candidates for the vacancy, cited Robert’s Rules allowing him to vote for himself for SBC (as a School Committee member). He said that he had been on the SBC as an Associate the longest (one and one half years) and that promoting associates to voting members is the policy.
He said the SBC must show the town that it is diverse and represents different perspectives. The perception is that there is one position and the town’s perception is important. He said he would serve as a citizen/resident representative, since the School Committee already has a representative. He would support the SBC’s ultimate decision and thinks one school on one site is a reasonable solution. He re-stated that the SBC needs a diverse membership.
Mr. Perry asked for a motion to appoint one of the candidates to the SBC as a voting member. Ms. Makary moved to appoint Sara Kilkenny and Ms. Sturgis seconded. Discussion on the motion covered points Mr. Burke had raised on diversity, seniority of Associates, and having two School Committee members on the SBC.
Following discussion, the motion to appoint Ms. Kilkenny was voted, with Mr. Clayton, Ms. Makary, Mr. Perry, Ms. Sturgis, Ms. Way, and Ms. Wheeler in favor and Mr. Burke and Mr. Dungan opposed.
Eagle Scout Visit
Three of Stow’s newest Eagle Scouts, all high-school seniors this year, visited to meet the Board and describe their projects. Mike Sangermano, to benefit the Sudbury Valley Trustees, built and installed 14 map boxes on trails. Josh DiBennedetto, to benefit the Stow schools, replaced 13 safety signs at Hale School for permanent use. Bob Blanton, to benefit the Grace Baptist Church and community in Hudson, installed boundary markers and made a map of recreation areas on the church’s land.
The Board thanked the scouts for their work and congratulated them on attaining the rank of Eagle Scout.
July 1 Appointments
The Board voted its annual July 1 appointments, with Mr. Dungan moving to appoint and reading the positions and names from the legal posting. Mr. Perry then proposed adding all selectmen as Fence Viewers and Field Drivers for the coming year. All voted in favor of the July 1 appointments, as read and with the addition.
A question was raised about performance reviews and this became an action item.
Special Town Meeting
Selecting a date for the Special Town Meeting this fall began with a discussion of whether Monday evening or Saturday daytime was the better time. Monday, November 7, was then chosen, on a motion from Mr. Clayton, a second from Ms. Wheeler, and all voting in favor.
FY05 and FY06 Police Union Contracts
The Board executed the final contracts between the Town and Stow Police Unit Local 206 for the years FY 2005 and FY 2006.
Joint Boards Meeting Schedule
The Board chose September 14 as the next date for a Joint Boards meeting to share goals and hear an update from the School Building Committee.
Burrell Legal Bill
Mr. Perry introduced the topic by explaining that at the end of the May 19 grievance settlement meeting, Ms. Makary presented a legal bill to the Board from her attorney, Mark Burrell. Subsequently, the Town Administrator received an updated and final bill from Mr. Burrell for $12,782.50.
Ms. Wheeler moved that the Board of Selectmen accept for payment the bill submitted by Mark Burrell. There was no second. Mr. Perry asked Ms. Hosier to send a letter of the Board’s decision not to pay the bill to Mr. Burrell.
A discussion ensued regarding whether the Town should pay this individual bill, how the Town contracts for services in general, and the Town’s agreements with Town Counsel and the outside hearing officer regarding the grievance.
A resident in the audience asked what the Town paid for Town Counsel’s and Attorney Lampke’s services; Mr. Perry said their bills were approximately $6,800 and $2,800, respectively.
Policy for Meeting Minutes
Following a review of Ms. Hosier’s proposed policy for meeting minutes, dated 6/24/05, Mr. Clayton moved to adopt the policy as presented, Mr. Dungan seconded, and all voted in favor.
Selectmen’s Goals for FY06
The Board reviewed and confirmed the list of their goals and liaison assignments for the upcoming year.
Meeting Minutes
Mr. Clayton moved to approve the May 19 meeting minutes, submitted by the Town Clerk, as amended. Ms. Wheeler seconded; Mr. Clayton, Mr. Perry, and Ms. Wheeler voted in favor. Mr. Dungan, who did not participate in the grievance, and Ms. Makary, one of the involved parties, abstained.
Mr. Dungan moved and Mr. Clayton seconded approving the June 14 meeting minutes, as submitted by the Administrative Assistant. Following discussion, Mr. Clayton moved to approve the minutes, as amended, Ms. Makary seconded, and all voted in favor.
At the meeting’s close, Mr. Clayton, as chairman of the General Bylaw Review Committee, invited the Boards and individuals to bring their ideas to the committee.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m., on a motion from Mr. Clayton, seconded by Ms. Makary, and with all in favor.
Respectfully submitted,
Susan Flint Hosier
Administrative Assistant
Board of Selectmen
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